Circular Logic

Six ways it pays to train in a higher gear.

YOU MAY NOT have audacious racing goals, but there are still plenty of reasons. to keep a standing date with speed, says exercise physiologist Marius Maianu. He cites these key benefits.

SLIM DOWN QUICKER

Running a mile burns about 100 calories, but the faster you cover the distance, the sooner you'll get the burn. An added bonus: High-intensity training keeps your metabolism revved (and calories incinerating) even after the workout is over.

and extensors. This improves range of motion and helps alleviate tightness.

GET FASTER FEET

When you're holding a swift pace, your feet turn over at a more rapid rate. So with enough practice, this quicker cadence becomes more natural, which means you'll need less effort to move faster on any run.

INCREASE STAMINA

Speed sessions help maximize your aerobic capacity. When you hit a fast pace, you force the heart to pump oxygen through the body at a quicker rate. Over time, that makes your heart stronger, so it can deliver more oxygen to the muscles, and helps your muscles use oxygen more efficiently

RUN STRONGER, AND LONGER

By sustaining a comfortably hard effort, you condition your body to hold a faster pace for longer before lactic acid—the waste produced when the body burns glucose—starts accumulating. That helps stave off the burning sensation that's so often linked with running hard.

MAKE THE JOY OF RUNNING LAST

Even if you don't care about getting fast, you'll enjoy reaping the fitness gains that go along with speedwork. When you're fitter, you can cover the same miles with less effort and bust through plateaus.